The concept of an aircraft hangar is nothing new to the students and faculty who populate Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Universitys campus in Prescott, AZ. It is, after all, one of the best aviation and aerospace universities in the world.
But an aircraft hangar that serves up lunch instead of storage or service space is a different story, one that began with a ton of ingenuity, a pinch of labor, and a whole lot of steel.
The owner of Good to Go Caf literally rolled up the doors of the new building on November 21, 2008, three short months after construction began at the site, which sits on the colleges campus and adjoins the Prescott Airport.
The high-tech aviation-themed building fits right in the 21st century with its open space, big windows, skylights, and roll-up doors. People who come to the caf have a choice to dine indoors or enjoy the weather under the open-air covered patio or the sun-filled deck.
Embry-Riddle hired Jebco Building Systems, a local general contractor that specializes in pre-engineered
metal buildings to design and build the caf and chose a company in Virginia Beach, VA as the manufacturer.
Since this was a design/build project, we spent over five months going back and forth between Embry-Riddle, the manufacturer, and ourselves to come up with a workable solution, says Russ Harsh with Jebco Building Systems.
In the months since the opening of the Good to Go Caf, Embry-Riddle students and faculty as well as those flying in and out of the nearby airport and living in the surrounding community have raved about the ambiance. The people that run the cafe and the college administration are very happy with the finished structure, says Harsh. It provides the students a variety of indoor and covered outdoor space, plus the ability to completely open the building to enjoy our fine weather. The steel structure should stand up very well to any abuse that the students might give it. And we were able to provide the school with a structure that provided that "classic" aeronautical feel they were looking for.
